New York Not So Strict on DUI Offenses, New Study Shows

Written by BRIAN MCCREADY (Patch Staff)

Each year 10,000 Americans die as a result of people driving while impaired by alcohol.

A new study by WalletHub examined the “Strictest and Most Lenient States on DUI” and New York ranked No. 30 as the strictest.

Arizona, Alaska, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Kansas are the strictest, while the most lenient states for DUI are South Dakota, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, and Maryland.

In 2012, of all the motor vehicle fatalities, 31 percent were a result of drivers being impaired by alcohol, the study notes.

It’s estimated that impaired driving costs the U.S. economy $60 billion annually, the report concludes. Despite that staggering number, the number of drunk driving fatalities has declined 52 percent from 1982 to 2013.

Some other interesting findings in WalletHub’s study, Arizona has the longest minimum jail time for first time offenders at 10 days, while West Virginia has the longest sentence for second time offenders at 180 days.

On average, if you are charged with driving while intoxicated, you can expect to have your license immediately suspended for three months.

Specifically, for New York, a first-time DUI offense requires no minimum jail time, a second-time offense also require no minimum jail time, and DUI is considered a felony after the second offense.

(Actually, New York does not use the term “DUI.” The categories in question are Driving While Intoxicated and Driving While Ability Impaired, which is a lesser offense and covers driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.)

A DUI offense will affect your criminal record for 10 years in New York, and you’ll have your licenses suspended for one month.

For comparison purposes, in Connecticut, a first-time DUI offense requires a minimum two days in jail, a second-time offense mandates a 120-day jail term, and it’s considered a felony after the third offense.

A DUI offense will impact your criminal record for 10 years in Connecticut, and you’ll have your licenses suspended for three months.

Read the full WalletHub report here.